Strap watch



9 A. E. MANHEIMER 9 L STRAP WATCH Filed May 26, 1928 r 1* k J |L 7" g v. I/ r daZ/mr 15f lbanilez'nger Patented Aug. 16, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTHUR E. MANHEIMER, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR ro MANHEI'METK'. WATCH COMPANY, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS STRAP WATCH Application filed May 26,

This invention relates to improvements in strap watches and the like, of the type commonly secured to the wrist, ankle, or any desirable part of a wearers body or apparehby means of a strap or the like. The inventionrelates more particularly to improved means for attaching a strap to the case of a watch of this character. I

It has been found desirable to provide means for attaching straps, bracelets, or wrist bands, of any desirable material, to a watch case, in such a manner that the attachment means will be substantially invisible. As stated in my copending application for lVrist FJatch, filed May 21, 1928, Serial No. 279,386, means for the attachment of a strap: to a watch case heretofore known have proven objectionable in most instances in that they detracted from the appearance of the combined case and strap, were more than desirably difficult to manipulate, to either attach or remove the strap, and frequently were so exposed as to become entangled in the apparel of the wearer, in addition to permitting the strap ends to become prematurely worn out. As set forth in my aforesaid copen'ding applicatiomthe bezel aided inmaintaining the attachment means in proper position; However, due to the peculiar structure of some watch cases, or for other reasons, it is not desirable in every instance to utilize the bezel or back cover of a watch in a cooperative manner with'the attachment means; i Accordingly, therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide means for securing a wrist band or the like to a watch case by securing means which are substantially invisible and which are not aided in any degree by any of the watch case covers; The invention also seeks to provide improved means for securing a bracelet to a' wrist watch by means permitting the bracelet to be attached or detached in an extremely easy manner. 7

19a. scan at. 280,786.

A further object of this invention isto' pro vide means for securely and positively main taining strap ends connected to the watch case, the means forming substantially an inte gral part of the case itself and being substan-' tially invisible, i

Other and vfurther importantobjects and advantages of this invention Will become ape parent fronithe drawing and disclosures in the specification. v V

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrate'd in the drawing and hereinafter more fully described. On the drawing p I Figure 1 is a top plan view of a wrist watch showing a two-piece strap attached thereto bymeans embodying the present invention. Figure 2 is enlarged fragmentary bot tom plan view,with parts broken away' and partsin section, of a portion of the structure shown in Fi 'ure 1. v V v Figure 3 is an enlargedfragmentarysec tional View, taken substantially as indicated on line III III of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sect-f 7 tional iew',, taken substantially along line IV%IV of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a view similar totFigure 2 showing a slightly different construction of the present invention.

As shown on the drawing:

The structure arbitrarily selected to dis" close the illustrated embodiment of the present invention,-comprises'awatch l eiiibodyin g i a case includinga case body 2, a bezel 3and a back cover A, to' which case a two-piece strap- 5 is secured by means to be later' described" herein.

At the outset, it is to be positively under;

with a strap, bracelet, sautoir, or therlik'e,

formed of leather, metal, cloth, or any desirable material whatsoever, and where the term strap is used herein and in the appended claims, the same is to be construed in the light of the foregoing, i. e. as of any desirable material.

In the present instance, as seen more clearly in Figures 2 and 3, the case body 2 projects slightly beyond the opposite margins of the front cover or bezel 3 and the back cover 4. These projecting portions are each provided with a slot 6 substantially of the key-hole type, which slots are adapted to receive therein the strap ends and attachment means.

Since both ends of the strap 5 are connected to the watch in identical manner, theIcOIlstruction centered around one end only of the strap will be described herein. Adjacent one end of the slot 6, a wall thereof, preferably the rear wall, is provided with a notch 7. The adjacent strap end is provided with a loop 8 thereon which i longitudinally slidable into the slot 6, the loop being of sufiicient size to substantially fill the slot proper, thereby causing the strap to be lockingly engaged in the slot. The strap proper substantially fills the restricted throat of the slot so as to give the external appearance of the strap as passing entirely through the watch case itself. Especially when the strap is made of cloth, fine leather, or similar material, it is desirable to pass a pin 9 through the loop 8 to eliminate any possibility of the loop pulling out of the slot after continued use. In order to properly'center the strap with respect to the side edges of the watch case, the pin 9 is provided with an enlarged head 10 of substantially the same diameter as the slot 6 and slidable thereinto. The enlarged head 10 abuts the outer edge of the loop 8, and is provided with a detent 11 which may be rotated into engagement with the notch 7, thereby preventing any longitudinal movement of the loop 8 or pin 9. It will be apparent therefore that the only projecting parts of the attachment means will be two surfaces of the enlarged head 10 and the detent 11, and these parts may be embellished or engraved to correspond with the watch case so that they are thereby rendered substantially invisible.

The operation ofthe attachment means described herein is extremely simple, but none the less positive. Assuming it is desired to remove the strap from the watch (Figure 2), it is simply necessary to rotate the enlarged head 10 by means of the detent 11 until the detent is disengaged from the notch 7, and then grasp the strap adjacent the watch and slide the same to the right as seen in Figure 2, theloop emerging from the slot 6 carrying the pin 9 therewith. To attach the strap, the pin is preferably first inserted in the loop, both the loop and pin engaged in the slot 6, and the detent turned into engagement with the notch 7.

It is to be especially noted that the pin 9,

if so desired, may be dispensed with. Especially is this true where a stiff leather, or metallic strap is used; since the slot 6 is of the key-hole type, the enlarged portion on the end of the strap, be it a loop or a solid portion, will be prevented from pulling out of the slot by the restricted throat thereof. In this instance only a plug similar to the enlarged head 10 will be necessary, this plug to substantially fill the remainder of the slot and maintain the strap properly spaced with respect to the side edges of the watch case.

In Figure 5 I have shown a slightly different form of-the invention which is in effect an added safeguard against the unintentional loosening of the strap. In this instance, the

lodging in the recess 12. WVhen the strap is.

then connected to the watch case in the manner hereinbefore described, the spring 14 will exert a pressure against the inner end of the pin 9 to thereby urge the detent 11 into the arcuate portion of the notch at all times. When it is desired to remove the strap, it is simply necessary to turn the detent out of engagement with the notch 13 against the action of the spring 14: and slide the strap end out of the slot 6. Of course, in this instance, in the event a metallic or heavy leather strap is used, the loop 8, if so desired, may be in the form of a solid cylinder or the like and the pin 9 dispensed with, the spring pressing directly against the portion 8 and a plug of a similar nature to the enlarged head 10 being utilized to properly space the strap.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I have provided novel means for attaching a strap or the like to a watch case, which means are quickly and easily operable. Moreover, the. means are substantially invisible so as to detract in no manner from the appearance of the case or strap, and in this particular instance the means require no cooperation whatsoever from either cover of the watch. In addition, the attachment means disclosed herein are simple in construction, positive in their action,durab1e and may be economically manufactured.

I am aware'that many changes may be made, and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon, otherwise/than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, a watch including a body having a longitudidifnal slot open at one end, a fastener having a head in said slot and spaced from said end, said slot having a constricted throat to prevent removal of said head therethrough, the body, adjacent said open end, having a notch extending transverse to said slot, and a plug disposed in said open end and having a lug removably engaged in said notch, whereby to prevent undesired removal of the head through said open end.

2. In a device of the class described, a watch body having a longitudinal slot open at one end, a fastener having a head in said slot and spaced from said end, said slot having a constricted throat to prevent removal of the head therethrough, a plug located between said head and said open end and means associated with said plug and end for interlocking the same, whereby to prevent undesired removal of the head through said open end.

3. In a device of the class described,-a watch body having a longitudinal slot open at one end, a fastener having a head in said slot and spaced from said end, said slot having a constricted throat to prevent removal of the head therethrough, the body, adjacent said open end, having a notch extending transverse to said slot, a plug located between said head and said open end, and a bayonet joint connecting said plug to said end, whereby to prevent undesired removal of the head through said open end.

l. In a device of the class described, a watch body having a slot provided with a constricted throat, a strap doubled over itself, the bight of said strap being insertable in said slot through said throat and a pin spacing the arms of the strap adjacent the bight and thereby enlarging the bight, and a bayonet joint connecting said pin to said body, whereby to prevent undesired removal of the bight through said throat.

5. In a device of the class described, a watch including a body having a longitudinal slot open at one end, a fastener having a head in said slot and spaced from said end, said slot having a constricted throat to prevent removal of said head therethrough, the body, adjacent said open end, having a notch extending transverse to said slot, and a plug dis posed in said open end and having a lug removably engaged in said notch whereby to prevent undesired removal of the head through said open end, said notch being disposed in the under side of said body whereby the notch and lug are concealed when the watch is fastened to the wearer so that accidental removal of the lug from the notch is prevented.

body, adjacent said open end, having a notch extending transverse to said slot, a plug disposed in said open end and having a lug removably engaged in said notch whereby to prevent undesired removal of the head through said open end, said notch being enlarged, and resilient means for yieldably maintaining the lug in the enlarged portion of the notch.

7. In a device of the class described, a watch body having a longitudinal slot open at one end, a fastener having a head in said slot and spaced from said end, said slot having a constricted throat to prevent removal of the head therethrough, the body, adjacent said open end, having a notch extending transverse to said slot, a plug located between said head and said open end, means associated with said plug and said end for interlocking the same, whereby to prevent undesired removal of the head through said open end, and means for yieldably preventing removal of said plug.

8. In combination, a watch case in which the body is provided with a portion projecting beyond the case covers, said portion having a slot and a notch provided with a wall extending transverse to said slot, a strap for said case and having an end disposed in said slot, and means projecting into said end for locking said end in said slot, said means including a detent removably engaging the transverse wall of said notch, whereby to prevent removal of said end. i

9. In combination, a watch case having a slot therein and a notch adjacent said slot, a strap for said case and having a looped end in said slot a pin projecting into said looped end, a detent on said pin and disposed in said notch, and resilient means urging said detent into said notch, said detent having a portion projecting beyond said notch and being accessible to be moved by ones hand out of said notch against the action of said resilient means to afford ready removal of said strap from said slot. C

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name at Chicago, Cook County,

Illinois.

ARTHUR E. MANHEIMER.

6. In a device of the class described, a Y

watch including a body having a longitudinal slot open at one end, a fastener having a head in said slot and spaced from said end, said slot having a constricted throat to prevent removal of said head therethrough, the 

